The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-30
Social Equality.
Editor of The Statesman

IL InO LullOl VI hc DIdlebhhu.
Will you allow me little space to con.
vince my courteous admirer that the "now
almost extinct dread of social equality,
which seemed to disturb the dishrag
aristocracy of white society when the ne
groes were emancipated twenty years
ago." is not altogether extinct. Occa-
sionally little of this sickly apprehen-
sion is still affected by those of the incur
ably snobbish persuasions. Let us see if
this concern is affected, or if my dear ad.
mirer has failed to inform himself, or
herself, in regard to the subject. My in
formation is all gained from the northern
press
ST. LOUIS, May 20.
To the World
"At to-day's session of the Presbyterian
General assembly there were presented a
large number of communications from
presbyteries on the subject of organic
union with the North church. Several
communications were received opposing
the union on the ground that the difficulty
would be with the colored element. They
felt that it would be dangerous to mingle
with the colored children in the schools
and churches" Last June, in one of
the northern colleges, there were, be-
lieve, twelve scholars in in the gradual
ing class-one colored, the remaining
white. The white girls refused to appear
on the stage with the negro girl, but the
faculty decided in favor of the negro girl,
who graduated, and the World says: ''She
was loudly applauded for the brave stand
she made for her rights" Not very long
- Dolk ha 1onrbtar nf
Episcopal minister, white, was married to
negro raised in South Carolina. The
press said the elite of the city were there,
and the presents numerous and costly
Again, a reporter was sent to Winchester,
N. Y. to find out if the rumor was correct
that the white and black people worshiped
in the same churches and attended the
same schools. The people were surprised
that he came on such mission, as they
said they had done so for years. COlored
bishops assist in many churches in ad-
the communion. What are
we to infer from these facts? That $50.
cial equality" already exists to some ex-
tent in the north. That it is frowned on
by the majority is true-but the end so
devoutly wished for and worked for by
the northern abolitionist is that the church
shall accomplish in the south what the
sword and radical legislation failed to do.
Digest these facts, my well-informed
admirer, and 1 could furnish many
more of the same kind. You say they do
not want social equality" You are right
there. Neither did they want freedom.
Not one in thousand ever expressed
desire for 1t; in fact, they snarled at the
"free niger" as they called them then.
The mass we're contented, and the hap
piest people in the world, tor they had no
cara no responsibility. Their conduct
during the war proved their love for their
former masters and their families. We
honor the old servants for their faithful
ness. They we're the protectors of help
less women and children, and would always
have lived on terms of confidence and
kindly feeling if it had not been for scar
pet bag rule" We have no assurance that
they wanted to meet with the "pros" at
Wheeler's grove. The executive commit
tee wanted them and invited them, and
promised that thousands of our people
would be there, and becoming modesty
prompted the white people to accord due
precedence to the colured people:"
just as it was the evidence of
good breeding to invite Elder Grant
(colored) to sit in the rostrum with Mr.